The structure of physical activity in seniors from lower Silesia.

BACKGROUND: Physical activity is considered to be one of the most important determinants of human health. Many authors emphasize the benefits of physical activity for elderly people--its positive influence on the functioning of many organs and systems, development of greater mobility, slowdown of the involution processes, and counteracting the effects of civilization diseases. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to analyze the structure of physical activity in older adults from the Lower Silesian region. MATERIAL AND METHOD: The data was collected as part of the PolSenior national program. The subjects were selected randomly in three stages. The analysis was performed on the data from questionnaires filled out by 192 men and 164 women over the age of 65 years living in the Lower Silesian region. The answers were analyzed in categories such as: age (3 groups: 65-74 years, 75-84 years and over 85 years), gender, place of residence (communities up to 20 000 and over 20 000 inhabitants) and social-occupational status (blue-collar and white-collar workers). The survey results were shown in percentage form and concerned the different types of physical activity performed, the most frequent reasons for undertaking physical activity, sports and recreational physical activity during the respondents youth, between 30 and 60 years of age and at present, as well as the constraints and reasons that prevent an active lifestyle. RESULTS: With age the percentage of people who spend their free time actively decreases. In each age group of elderly people men declared a greater need for physical activity than women. The subjects also differed with the urban factor and social-occupational status. Moreover, the results showed that the larger community, the better the condition created for recreation of older adults and the people whose previous profession was not connected with physical work tried to be physically active in various forms more often than ex-manual laborers. It is probable that education significantly influences an active attitude towards one's health and proper lifestyle. CONCLUSIONS: Physical activity of seniors as a one of the basic elements of lifestyle is clearly connected with the environment in which older people live.

Medical, psychological and socioeconomic aspects of aging in Poland: assumptions and objectives of the PolSenior project.

Both descriptive and longitudinal studies of aging are nowadays a subject of growing interest in different countries worldwide. However, in Poland and other Central-Eastern European countries, such comprehensive, nationally representative, multidimensional studies were never performed in the past in elderly population. The present paper describes the PolSenior project including its objectives, sample selection and structure, methods, fieldwork procedures and study flow. The aim of the project was to examine medical, psychological and socioeconomic aspects of aging in Poland. The research sample included 5695 respondents (2899 males and 2796 females) split into six equally sized age groups of elderly individuals (65-69 years, 70-74 years, 75-79 years, 80-84 years, 85-89 years, 90+years) and one group of subjects just about to enter old age (55-59 years). Subjects were recruited using three stage stratified, proportional draw. The response rate was 42% and ranged from 32% to 61% between provinces. The study consisted of three visits performed by trained nurses including questionnaire survey, comprehensive geriatric assessment and blood and urine sampling. The questionnaire consisted of medical and specific socioeconomic questions. The comprehensive geriatric assessment included blood pressure and anthropometric measurements, as well as selected scales and tests routinely used in the examination of elderly subjects. Blood and urine samples were collected from 4737 and 4526 individuals, respectively. More than 50 biochemical parameters were measured, and DNA was isolated and banked. In a selected group of 1018 subjects, a medical examination by a physician was performed. The self-rated health was lower in females than in males in age groups 70-84, but similar in individuals of both sexes aged 65-69 and 85 years. Besides providing data on health and functioning of elderly population, the PolSenior project aims to analyze interrelationships between different elements of health and social status, and between genetics and health status in advanced age. The results of the PolSenior project will facilitate prioritizing the state's public health and social policies in elderly population. Such a program provides also an excellent starting point for longitudinal studies and a basis for comparative analysis between Poland and other European countries or regions.

Assessment of a gastric arterial network for oesophageal substitute by means of pulse oximetry.

Insufficient vascularisation of substitutes in the operative reconstruction of the oesophagus is one of the main causes of the occurrence of anastomotic leaks. In the present study, the blood oxygenation of gastric substitutes for the oesophagus was evaluated before and during the reconstruction. A pulse oximeter was used for the assessment (S&J Medico Teknik AIS, Albertslund, Denmark). Oxygenation in the examined places ranged from 79% to 98%. The values of blood oxygenation in places C1 (fundus of the stomach after the formation of the substitute) and C2 (fundus of the stomach after the formation and stretching of the substitute) were significantly lower than those in analogous places in the stomach before the transformation (C/C1 p < 0.02; C/C2 p < 0.03, Fisher test). There were no correlations between pulse oximetry values observed and the presence of anastomosis leak.